Seven Chakras

SEVEN CHAKRAS OF THE SPINE

Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Preface: I learned about chakras— those whirling wheels of energy along the spinal column for the first time around 1968 in Anthony Damiani's American Brahman Bookshop in Ithaca. He had the 1927 edition of C.W. Leadbeater's The Chakras in his bookstore. It was a huge book with glossy plates of the seven colorful chakras, which I would glance at often whenever I visited the store. I wondered whether these chakras would become visible within as I became adept at meditation. When I did see my first chakra, it was a sky-blue circle with a gold circumference and green dot at the center (Mt. Lao, Italy, 1972). I bought a paperback of Leadbeater's The Chakras and have scanned the seven color chakras from this 1980 edition for the table below for references. The six Chakra images at left are from Ajit Mookerjee's Kundalini: The Arousal of the Inner Energy (1982). The seventh Sahasrara image is from Chakra Information. The Chakra descriptions are from Joseph Campbell's The Inner Reaches of Outer Space (1988, pp. 64-65) and also from Mookerjee's book (pp. 39-44). The colors and sounds one experiences in meditation need not correspond exactly to those found in books. What is more important is the peace that comes to one's life and wisdom insights when reading sacred texts in all traditions. That is the true path of the sage.

Chakra Chakra Description Chakra Color

Muladhara: Root Chakra: Located at the spine's base, the sacral plexus (between anus & genitals), of the element Earth, having four crimson petals and a yellow, rectangular interior bearing the sign of the syllable lam. This chakra is associated with symbol of resistance and solidity. The massive elephant with a black strip round its neck is its symbol. The principle of smell is experienced at this center.

Svadhisthana: Spleen Chakra: Located at the genitals, of the element of Water, with six vermilion petals and a white interior containing a crescent moon and the sign of the syllable vam. The chakra's associated animal is the light grey or green makara (a sea monster similar to the crocodile), an emblem of the waters and vehicle of the god Varuna, lord of the sea.

Manipura: Navel Chakra: Located at the navel, of the element Fire, with 10 smoky-purple petals and a fiery triangle within, resounding to the syllable ram. Patanjali says (Yoga Sutra III.29) that this chakra leads to knowledge of the physical body and its functions. It is the life-force and related to sight and light. The lowest 3 chakras are centers of basic physical energies.

Anahata: Heart Chakra: Located at the spinal center in the region of the heart, of the element Air (breath, spiritus, prana, chi), having 12 red petals and an interior showing a six-pointed star composed of two opposed triangles, one downward, the other upward turned, within which a golden lingam-yoni symbol connoting a subtle spiritual rapture resounds to the syllable yam.

Visuddha: Throat Chakra: Located at the region of the larynx, of the element of Space (akasa or ether), having 16 smoky-purple petals, a white triangle within, and resounding to the syllable ham. This is the center of spiritual effort. Visuddha means "pure" and the chakra controls the principle of sound and hearing. The moon-white elephant, Airavata, with six trunks, is vehicle of the Vedic god Indra.

Ajna: Brow Chakra: Located at the forehead, between and above the eyes. The Lotus here is of two petals, white and radiant as the moon, supporting a supreme vision of the Goddess, or of a God-with-Form, from which he tone is to be heard sounding of the syllable OM. This "Third-Eye" chakra is where mental images and abstract ideas are experienced.

Sahasrara: Crown Chakra: Located four finger-breadths above the crown of the head is the "Lotus of the Thousand Petals", representing a rapture beyond any god known as of a name or form. The inverted lotus showers the subtle body with cosmic radiations. Sahasrara is the center of cosmic consciousness, where polarities are integrated and transcendence experienced beyond time and space.

Web Links to Chakras
• Wikipedia: Chakra
(Definitions, Etymology, Models, Qigong, Western medicine, Light Spectrum, Seven Chakras)
• Sacred Centers: The Chakras
(Chakras History, Evolution, Asana Practice, Illness, Articles, Workshops)
• Crystlinks: Chakras
(Chakra & Color Frequencies, Sound, Endocrine System, Tantric Chakras)
• Chakra Information
(Seven main chakras with their color, shape, sound, and characteristics)
• Leadbeater's The Chakras
(Anand Gholap: 1927 edition of The Chakras with plates, figures, & text)
• Chakra Dhyana
(Oneness Movement Florida: Chakra Exercises)

Chakra	Chakra Description	Chakra Color
	Muladhara: Root Chakra: Located at the spine's base, the sacral plexus (between anus & genitals), of the element Earth, having four crimson petals and a yellow, rectangular interior bearing the sign of the syllable lam. This chakra is associated with symbol of resistance and solidity. The massive elephant with a black strip round its neck is its symbol. The principle of smell is experienced at this center.
	Svadhisthana: Spleen Chakra: Located at the genitals, of the element of Water, with six vermilion petals and a white interior containing a crescent moon and the sign of the syllable vam. The chakra's associated animal is the light grey or green makara (a sea monster similar to the crocodile), an emblem of the waters and vehicle of the god Varuna, lord of the sea.
	Manipura: Navel Chakra: Located at the navel, of the element Fire, with 10 smoky-purple petals and a fiery triangle within, resounding to the syllable ram. Patanjali says (Yoga Sutra III.29) that this chakra leads to knowledge of the physical body and its functions. It is the life-force and related to sight and light. The lowest 3 chakras are centers of basic physical energies.
	Anahata: Heart Chakra: Located at the spinal center in the region of the heart, of the element Air (breath, spiritus, prana, chi), having 12 red petals and an interior showing a six-pointed star composed of two opposed triangles, one downward, the other upward turned, within which a golden lingam-yoni symbol connoting a subtle spiritual rapture resounds to the syllable yam.
	Visuddha: Throat Chakra: Located at the region of the larynx, of the element of Space (akasa or ether), having 16 smoky-purple petals, a white triangle within, and resounding to the syllable ham. This is the center of spiritual effort. Visuddha means "pure" and the chakra controls the principle of sound and hearing. The moon-white elephant, Airavata, with six trunks, is vehicle of the Vedic god Indra.
	Ajna: Brow Chakra: Located at the forehead, between and above the eyes. The Lotus here is of two petals, white and radiant as the moon, supporting a supreme vision of the Goddess, or of a God-with-Form, from which he tone is to be heard sounding of the syllable OM. This "Third-Eye" chakra is where mental images and abstract ideas are experienced.
	Sahasrara: Crown Chakra: Located four finger-breadths above the crown of the head is the "Lotus of the Thousand Petals", representing a rapture beyond any god known as of a name or form. The inverted lotus showers the subtle body with cosmic radiations. Sahasrara is the center of cosmic consciousness, where polarities are integrated and transcendence experienced beyond time and space.
Web Links to Chakras • Wikipedia: Chakra (Definitions, Etymology, Models, Qigong, Western medicine, Light Spectrum, Seven Chakras) • Sacred Centers: The Chakras (Chakras History, Evolution, Asana Practice, Illness, Articles, Workshops) • Crystlinks: Chakras (Chakra & Color Frequencies, Sound, Endocrine System, Tantric Chakras) • Chakra Information (Seven main chakras with their color, shape, sound, and characteristics) • Leadbeater's The Chakras (Anand Gholap: 1927 edition of The Chakras with plates, figures, & text) • Chakra Dhyana (Oneness Movement Florida: Chakra Exercises)